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Romance in the House (2024)

This show is alright if one is looking for something light and uncomplicated.  Otherwise, it’s a neither-here-nor-there kind of show.

The romance isn’t that romantic, the melodrama isn’t that melodramatic, there is some humour but it isn’t that funny, and most of the characters are thinly written.  There is potential for a strong plot but unfortunately, we don’t get one.  For example, Moo-jin’s (Ji Jin-hee!) 11 years away could have been more substantially spent than on selling stilettos and just waiting for the right moment to pounce on the scammer.  Many possibly interesting junctures were too simply explained away. 

In addition, there was too much randomness.  Moo-jin randomly spots the scammer and then makes it his life goal to trail him.  Randomly, the rich lady tracks down the scammer as well, and then very carelessly, callously and randomly gives millions to Moo-jin.  The previous villa owner’s daughter randomly turns up with a random suggested allegation that Moo-jin and Jae-geol (Kim Yong-jae) cheated her father and caused his death.  Hairdresser Jeong-in (Yang Jo-A) randomly falls for Jae-geol and they inexplicably get together.

Main couple 

Ji Jin-hee and Kim Ji-soo (playing Geum Ae-yeon) could deliver their parts in their sleep.  What a pity to cast these vets in a lame storyline.  They portrayed their characters commendably and at least their story together was moderately interesting.



The singers

As secondary characters, these three did what they could within their abilities.

 

Tae-pyeong is such a likeable guy that I will not say too much about Minho.  He played the part he was given and Tae-pyeong was very much a two-dimensional character when he could have been more compelling.

 

Grumpy Mi-rae is arguably a more interesting character, with all her angst and bitterness, but Son Na-eun also presented us a two-dimensional character who could have been more compelling.  



Hyun-jae was the most complex of the three but I thought Sanha had reached his acting limits giving us a 2.5-dimensional character.  It’s not quite that he acted better than the other two but that there was more that someone could do with Hyun-jae’s character, though I don’t know why he was behaving like a 13-year-old when he was in his late teens.


Perhaps we shouldn't get all three in the same show.


The neighbours

The neighbours were highly inconsequential to the plot, not funny and not interesting.  Even Hwang Bo-ra (playing Se-ri) had a poorly written character.  Husband Jeong-hyuk (played by Kim Do-hyun) was far worse.  I think he was supposed to be darkly funny character but came across as weird.  Perhaps restaurant owner Gangnam (played by Lee Kyo-yeob) came closest to being cute/interesting, though it was strange that he was besotted with Jeong-in.



The dog 

Medal is very cute! 

JPlus people

This group came off much better.  Mi-rae’s workmates were amusing and more interesting than the neighbours.  Hopefully, they all get better roles and better plots next time.

 

Family

The Byeon family story could have been written more tightly.  It’s odd that Mi-rae had the power to tell her parents what to do when she was just a teen and to be instrumental in kicking her father out.  What’s more, Moo-jin was made to leave, so I don’t know why anyone is blaming him for having disappeared.  Hyun-jae is right that his mum and sister leave his dad out all the time and that he himself is treated like an appendix to the family.  This was one redeeming plot point but it had very little air time.



The Nam family dynamics could become a melodrama on its own but were just vaguely touched on.  At least Tae-pyeong and Chi-yeol (another vet Jung Woong-in) had a few deeper conversations.



The ending

Ae-yeon decides that she is happy with them sort of being back together but not remarrying, and Moo-jin is fine with it.  Mi-rae continues with her plan for lifelong celibacy and Tae-pyeong is fine with it.  Tae-pyeong finds work at JPlus interesting but wants to remain a TKD instructor (who is very cute with the cute kids) and Chi-yeol is fine with it.  Largely, they move very little from where they were at the start of the show.  Hence, a neither here nor there ending as well, and so, what were the 12 episodes for?



JTBC, 12 episodes





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